HEADLINES

Antonio Cromartie

FA Rumors: Clark, Browner, Finnegan

March 13th, 2014 at 4:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Clark‘s visit with the Redskins went well, but there’s no deal yet, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. However, Washington is still talking with the former Steelers safety. More from around the league..

  • The Saints are among teams looking at cornerback Brandon Browner, according to ESPN’s John Clayton (via Mike Triplett’s Twitter). The recently reinstated cornerback is also reportedly visiting with the Redskins and Patriots.
  • Former Rams and Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan will visit with the Dolphins tomorrow, tweets Albert Breer of NFL Network.
  • Bears GM Phil Emery planned to speak with Henry Melton‘s agent after the defensive end met with teams and gauged his market, tweets Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. However, the clock is ticking for Chicago as their cap room is dwindling.
  • The Redskins have had talks with Reed Doughty, but it doesn’t sound like anything is imminent, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post. It’s still a “work in progress,” a source tells Jones.
  • 49ers free agent running back Anthony Dixon tweets that he’s on his way to Buffalo to visit the Bills.
  • It sounds like Antonio Cromartie‘s meeting with the Cardinals was more of a feeling out than anything, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
  • The door isn’t shut on Alex Mack and the Colts, but the odds have gone down drastically, tweets Mike Wells of ESPN.

FA Rumors: Melton, Walker, Cromartie

March 13th, 2014 at 2:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Unrestricted free agent defensive tackle Henry Melton, who is visiting with the Vikings on Thursday, is the center of a lawsuit from a bar altercation where he is alleged to have bitten the restaurant owner, writes Master Tesfatsion of the Star-Tribune. That could be a sticking point for the Vikings, who dealt with four player arrests in 2013. The latest free agent rumors from around the NFL…

  • Vance Walker is visiting with the Chiefs today, tweets Josina Anderson of ESPN. The defensive tackle also has a visit lined up with the Packers, tweets Rob Demovsky of ESPN.
  • Former Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie is visiting with the Cardinals today, a source tells Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (on Twitter).
  • Quarterback Shaun Hill could still return to the Lions, a source tells Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. The Buccaneers seemed like a real option for Hill until they inked Josh McCown this week.
  • Akeem Jordan‘s visit with the Titans has been moved up from Monday to Friday, says Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean, adding that the Redskins would like to bring in the linebacker for a visit if he doesn’t sign with Tennessee (Twitter links).
  • Tight end Owen Daniels is set to visit with the Redskins, a source tells ESPN’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
  • Return specialist Ted Ginn is visiting the Cardinals, tweets P. Schrager of FOXSports.com.

DB Rumors: Byrd, Whitner, 49ers, Cromartie

March 10th, 2014 at 2:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Cornerback is one of the deepest positions on the free agent market this year, and there are plenty of intriguing names among the free agent safeties as well. Let’s dive in and check out the latest rumors on defensive backs….

  • A source told Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link) last night that the asking price for the top free agent safeties ranged from $6MM (Donte Whitner) to $8MM (Jairus Byrd) per year, with T.J. Ward in the middle at $7MM. Biggs admits that he’s not sure if that’s changed today.
  • Albert Breer of the NFL Network (Twitter link) hears that Byrd is asking for more than $8MM, and while that price has scared some teams away, the safety may ultimately land that amount.
  • It’s highly unlikely that the Bears land Whitner, according to Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune (via Twitter), who adds that it sounds like Chicago is looking elsewhere for a safety. The team also isn’t likely to be a major player for Byrd, tweets Adam Jahns of the Chicago Sun-Times.
  • The 49ers and Tarell Brown both appear to be testing the market, with San Francisco exploring other cornerback options and Brown looking into other suitors. Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee says the Niners have checked in on Nolan Carroll.
  • Top free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner told SiriusXM’s Chris Russo the Patriots are “definitely a possibility” and added that Devin McCourty has been “lobbying” for him to come to New England, tweets Field Yates of ESPNBoston.com.
  • Antonio Cromartie told ESPN Radio New York that the Jets never tried to renegotiate his current deal but the “door is open” for a return, tweets Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. It sounds like he’ll test the market and assess all his options though.
  • John Clayton of ESPN.com (on Twitter) offers up an early prediction that Patriots free agent cornerback Aqib Talib will end up with the Redskins.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

NFC East Rumors: Ware, Redskins, Giants, Eagles

March 10th, 2014 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Free agency officially gets underway at 3:00pm central time tomorrow, and there could be resolution on DeMarcus Ware‘s situation in Dallas by then, according to ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. Archer reports that the Cowboys have had “consistent negotiations” with Ware on a reworked contract that would reduce his 2014 cap hit. If the two sides can reach a compromise, it sounds like the standout pass rusher will continue his career in Dallas. Otherwise, he may be cut by tomorrow afternoon.

Let’s round up a few more Monday rumors from out of the NFC East….

AFC East Links: Jets, Dolphins, Patriots

March 9th, 2014 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Jets having released Antonio Cromartie earlier today, Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com analyzed the impact the move would have on the field and in the front office. Cimini doesn’t believe that Cromartie will return to New York unless he’s willing to accept a significantly smaller, one-year deal. When looking at potential replacements on the roster, the writer doesn’t buy that Kyle Wilson would be a viable replacement and suggests Alterraun Verner as a potential target. On Saturday, Cimini reported that the Jets had expressed interest in the Titans‘ cornerback. With the Cromartie release and signing of Jeff Cumberland yesterday, the Jets should have about $33MM in cap space, Cimini mentions (via Twitter).

More notes from the AFC East…

  • Another option for the Jets‘ secondary could be Dolphins safety Chris Clemons, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Fellow Dolphins‘ defensive back Nolan Carroll is generating a lot of interest, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora adds that Carroll had similar advanced stats to Sam Shields, who signed a $39MM contract yesterday.
  • With more than $30MM in cap room and a clear desire to win now, the Dolphins should make a big splash in free agency, says James Walker of ESPN.com. That move could be Branden Albert, who is likely to join the team on Tuesday.
  • In the same mailbag, Walker suggests that signing a running back is important to the Dolphins, but not a top priority. Instead of someone like Ben Tate, Walker suggests Maurice Jones-Drew.
  • There is a strong push within the Patriots organization to keep Julian Edelman, league sources tell Michael Giardi of CSNNewEngland.com (via Twitter). The Patriots coaches reportedly love his work ethic and ability to play special teams.

Jets To Release Antonio Cromartie

March 9th, 2014 at 1:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

2:20pm: The Jets have officially announced the transaction.

1:47pm: The Jets will release Cromartie, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

1:43pm: It appears the Jets have cut cornerback Antonio Cromartie, based on tweets by Cromartie himself. The seven-year-veteran sent out two separate messages, first: “I would like 2 thank the Jets organization so much with helpin me grow as leader and a player. S/O 2 my teammates I wish u guys the best.” This was followed by: “I would also like to give a big up to The Jets Fan base. Thank you for all the support thru my 4 yr career with you. Thank you again.”

Cromartie was due to count almost $15MM against the cap in 2014. By releasing him, the Jets will save $9.5MM in cap space. Cromartie’s play suffered greatly in 2013, as he was ranked as the eighth-worst corner in football by Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required).

Extra Points: Suh, Hester, Talib

March 9th, 2014 at 9:15am CST by Peter Sowards

Ndamukong Suh‘s cap number in 2014 is $22.4MM — that’s nearly 17% of the $133MM salary cap.

However, DetroitLions.com Senior Writer Tim Twentyman said this should not hamstring the team’s efforts to be active in free agency. With less cap space last year entering free agency than they have this year, Twentyman writes that Detroit was still able to land Reggie Bush, Glover Quin and Jason Jones on free agency’s opening day.

“The fact we won’t have an extension done with Ndamukong before free agency begins doesn’t affect that plan one bit,” Lions team president Tom Lewand said. “It doesn’t affect our valuation of the free agents, it doesn’t affect what our projection of our cap situation is going forward, and it doesn’t affect how we project eventually working an extension with Ndamukong out at some point in time.”

Twentyman doesn’t expect a re-done deal by the start of free agency, despite Suh’s recent signing of CAA Sports agent Jimmy Sexton.

More notes from the second day of the legal tampering period…

Jets Notes: Sanchez, Smith, Pace, Cromartie

February 20th, 2014 at 4:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Jets head coach Rex Ryan and general manager John Idzik both spoke to the media today in Indianapolis. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Ryan and Idzik sidestepped questions about whether or not Mark Sanchez will be back with the Jets in 2014. However, Izdik indicated that he believes Sanchez still can be a starting-caliber NFL quarterback, according to Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (Twitter link).
  • The Jets didn’t commit to Geno Smith as the starting quarterback in 2014, but Ryan was much more effusive in his praise for Smith than Sanchez, notes Brian Costello of the New York Post.
  • Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News passes along a few of Ryan’s and Izdik’s noncommittal quotes on Sanchez’s future, including the head coach insisting that he wants all of his players to return, and the GM maintaining that Sanchez is making “very good progress” in shoulder rehab.
  • Within Mehta’s piece, Ryan also expressed a desire to bring re-sign free agent linebacker Calvin Pace and suggested that it would be hard to replace Antonio Cromartie if the team decided to make the veteran defensive back a cap casualty.
  • Izdik didn’t shoot down the idea that the club could consider drafting a quarterback in the first round, tweets Hubbuch.
  • The Jets likely won’t make any of their veteran cuts until they absolutely have to, according to Izdik (Twitter link via Hubbuch).

Extra Points: London, Cromartie, FA Tryouts

January 31st, 2014 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

During his State of the NFL presser this morning, commissioner Roger Goodell downplayed speculation about the possibility of the Rams moving to Los Angeles, but sounded more bullish about the city of London getting an NFL team. According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), Goodell said that selling out three games for the 2014 season helped push London “further down the road” toward a franchise. Meanwhile, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald tweets that, in his opinion, the question isn’t whether or not London will eventually get a team, but rather whether it will be via expansion or relocation.

  • Jets head coach Rex Ryan indicated today that he hopes cornerback Antonio Cromartie regains his form in 2014, but didn’t commit to him being on New York’s roster for next season, as Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News details. Cromartie is owed a $5MM roster bonus in March and carries a cap number of nearly $15MM for ’14.
  • Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along word of several free agent tryouts, reporting via Twitter that defensive tackle Torrey Davis auditioned for the Packers, linebacker Alex Hall tried out for the Cardinals, and wide receiver C.J. Akins worked out for the Panthers.
  • Unsurprisingly, Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters today, including Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter links), that he’d like to bring back both of the team’s top two free agents, receiver Julian Edelman and cornerback Aqib Talib.
  • As Russell Wilson prepares to play in his first Super Bowl, a handful of teams around the league are undoubtedly thinking about the opportunity they had to draft the third round pick in 2012. The Eagles are one team that came close to snatching Wilson off the board in the second round, writes Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • In a pair of Dallas Morning News chats, Rainer Sabin explains why he believes the Dan Bailey contract extension was the right move for the Cowboys, while Kevin Sherrington argues that what the Cowboys call being “aggressive” with the cap is actually mismanagement.